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NK NEWS BRIEF | May 16, 2012
POSTED May 16, 2012
NK INTERNAL
- NK govt actions against families of defectors have reportedly been stepped up since the NSA took over border security from the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces. Measures are now said to include midnight arrests and disappearances, causing increased fear in border regions.
- NK authorities have launched the annual 40-day total farm mobilization period, mandating citizen participation in planting and seeding at collective farms.
- KJU has toured the Mangyongdae Fun-fair in Pyongyang, calling it “pathetic.” Such criticism is reportedly not abnormal it itself, but it is rare for negative statements to be released in media accessible outside of NK.
- NK has completed the construction of Danchan Port in South Hamgyong Province. The port will reportedly be valuable for exporting mined resources including magnesite and zinc.
FOOD AID & FOOD SECURITY
- The UN FAO has predicted that NK will secure an additional 300,000 tons of rice this year compared to 2011 and that per capita rice consumption this summer will rise to 72.3kg from last fall’s 64kg.
HUMAN RIGHTS
- A new study on NKHR based upon refugee stories and highlighting NK political prison camps has been released by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. “After a year of interviews, the commission published defectors’ accounts almost verbatim. Defectors describe their own experiences and the things they witnessed.”
REFUGEES
- Following a visit by LMB, Myanmar has agreed to release a NK refugee imprisoned two years ago for entering the country illegally and allow him to be transferred to SK.
- Don Kirk on NK women sold into ‘slavery’ in China.
- SK assemblywoman Park Sun-young reportedly plans to establish a non-profit aimed at helping NK refugee children succeed in school following the end of her four-year term as a lawmaker this May.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS & SECURITY
- NK reiterated that it will further strengthen its rocket and “nuclear deterrent”” capabilities. SK, Japanese, and Chinese leaders together urged NK to refrain from a future nuclear test.
- The USG stated that it has no intention of returning tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean peninsula following the passage of a U.S. House amendment calling for the relocation of such weapons to the Western Pacific Region.
- U.S. and UK officials are reportedly seeking stronger action against NK arms sales in the Middle East and Africa, particularly to prevent NK arms company, Komid, from sidestepping current sanctions.
- Four SK activists have reportedly been detained in China on suspicion of spying after conducting interviews with NK refugees hiding in the northeast of the country.
- NK and China have signed an agreement on the construction and management of a bridge between Manpo, NK and Jian, China in a move to improve cross-border transit.
- NK opened a trade fair in Malaysia, reportedly in a bid to boost economic ties with the outside world.
- NK chairman of the Presidium of the SPA, Kim Yong-nam, reportedly asked Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to share advice on managing foreign investment during a trip to Jakarta.
- Myanmar reportedly agreed to put an end to NK weapons purchases and abide by all NK related nuclear and missile UN resolutions.
ANALYSIS & OPINION
- InterMedia released a study based on interviews with NK refugees and travelers showing the extent to which foreign media distributed by DVD, USBs, cell phones, and other technological methods is pervading and changing NK society. “North Koreans can get more outside information, through more types of media, from more sources, than ever before; and they are less fearful of sharing that information than ever before.”
- Jang Jun-young comparing the reform of Myanmar with the isolation of NK. “The biggest difference is the existence of reformist figures in political circles.”
- Ted Galen Carpenter suggesting that the U.S. normalize ties with NK through a non-aggression pledge, a peace treaty, and a rescinding of sanctions, in exchange for a NK halt of nuclear weapons development and a withdrawal of troops from the SK border.
- Adam Cathcart on Sino-NK relations under KJU.
- Lankov on NK’s construction of its history.
MISC.
- NK is to make its first ever appearance at the Paralympic Games this summer in London.
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